Michael Crabtree stood on the Texas Tech sidelines in the fourth quarter, hands in the pockets of his red sweatpants, watching his college team play Texas.

Crabtree. Tech vs. Texas. Fourth quarter. Jones AT&T Stadium.

Four years after arguably the greatest play in Tech football history — Graham Harrell to Crabtree in the final seconds to beat then-No. 1 Texas in Lubbock — the San Francisco 49erS receiver was back on the South Plains to support his Red Raiders.

This time there was no magic as the Longhorns held off a Tech rally with a long fourth-quarter drive for a touchdown on their way to a fourth-straight win over the Red Raiders.

As the clock wound down and Texas took its final snaps, Crabtree was asked if the loss ruined his first trip back for a game since the 2008 season.

“It’s a football game. You win, you lose,” he said, before making the Guns Up gesture during the post-game “Matador Song.”

Crabtree was in Lubbock because his NFL team has a bye week.

“I’m here to support Tech versus Texas … one of those teams I don’t like,” he said earlier in the quarter.

Crabtree led Tech on Raider Walk a couple of hours before kickoff.

While he watched the final quarter on the field, he said it was good to be back.

“It’s a great environment. So much has changed — the field, the uniforms, the stadium,” he said.

Four years after his famous catch, he said he doesn’t hear about it as much as he used to.

“It’s kind of died down,” Crabtree said. “It’s just one of those plays.”

Crabtree lives in San Jose, close to the 49ers practice facility in Santa Clara. He still lives in the Metroplex in the offseason.

Crabtree leads the 6-2 Niners with 440 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He’s on pace to have the best year of his four-year career.

Crabtree credits that to a better connection with quarterback Alex Smith, even though he said he thought he had a slow start to this season.